Lightning and death itself was an underestimate of the Night Fury
by James m.cep
Summary: Spoilers* Hica's mother was taken from Berk many years ago in a raid but life continued on for Berk. The dragons still came and took our food for gods know why. I grew up doing what I thought I needed to do for my village. but that all changed when I came face to face with what was my most fortunate encounter ever. I found a defenceless Night Fury but... He was there too.
1. Chapter 1

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

SPOILERS!

STOP! If you havnt seen the movies or Tv show for the love of THOR stop!

I do not own anything!

Chapter one

...

The Minor Alteration

...

...

The island of Berk is-was my home. I was born and raised there. I fell in love, was married, and even had a child. I loved my home dearly. But I loved my family most especially.

The people were often happy considering the circumstances. We lived a hard life. The climate was harsh with short summers and long winters. The food was tough and bland and needed a little something extra to keep it down. If the summers weren't bad enough by being so short there was also the threat of raids by wild animals and hostile tribes.

The men and women of my tribe, the Hairy Hooligans, were the merriest with a mug of ale in one hand and an arm tossed over one of their neighbors. They drank and they sang and they roared at the injustice of their tragedies together. When they were together they could forget the unfortunate yesterday, the terrible winter, and the tragic year to live in the moment.

And their lives were tragic. It wasn't just wolves and wild boars that sometimes broke into our village and stole from us and fled into the forest. No if anything that was the least of our worries. Dragons were the real problem. And so far all of our attempts at eliminating the problem have failed. Simply killing as many of the beasts wasn't working. They just kept coming no matter how many we slew. Some brave Vikings that was what I was before…

Some Vikings had proposed to unify the archipelago to strike a unified attack on Hel Heims gate. A collection of chief met to discuss the proposed idea. That meeting did not end well. It had been interrupted by a stranger from another land, a foreigner, who offered a resolution to my people and the other island tribes' dragon infestation. My dear husband and the other chiefs had listened intently to his offer but his demands were too much and the Viking chiefs laughed at the arrogant demands of the quiet behemoth of a man. No Viking would kneel to an insane foreigner.

It all went so wrong that night…

My dear husband was the lone survivor. The other tribes had lost their chiefs causing discourse to ripple through their communities. Tribes began having small skirmishes with each other. As if the three hundred year dragon war wasn't bad enough, now we fight amongst ourselves?

My dear husband, Chief Stoic the Vast, avoided external conflicts as best as he could through diplomacy and sheer combat and tactical prowess. The hairy Hooligans were not a people to be taken lightly. We have defended our home for the last three hundred years with no indication we would budge.. Dragons and humans alike know we are immovable from the isle of Berk.

But like many of my brothers and sisters, we grew weary of the conflicts. We have had far too many funeral rites, widows and crippled warriors. We certainly gave as much as we took but the dragons still attacked frequently. While many of the men and women who lost too much had given up hope in ending this conflict and were content in just surviving, I had not. If killing dragons didn't end this damned war than there had to be another way; for my child's sake.

We had to stop the dragon raids by not killing dragons. It was the only alternative available to us because we are stubborn we won't leave just cause a few pests burn us. But my people are many things but flexible was not one of them. They were angry and scared. They lashed out at the thing that was the source of all their grief. They were unwilling to bend and change to find a solution that didn't include putting dragon heads on pikes.

* * *

Berk was a place of kill or be killed.

"Stop!" I say stopping the arm of a warrior before he decapitated a monstrous nightmare," You will only make it worse!" The Warrior frowned when the monstrous nightmare was able to steady itself and fly away. He wrenched his hand free and reentered the fray intent on killing another for the one he lost.

The village was in a state of chaos. Swords swung and axes cleaved through dragon flesh. Vikings and dragons spilled each other's blood. Maiming those they did not kill. Fire rose up lighting the village like an ominous beacon in the night.

A dreadful feeling had passed over me. Call it mother's intuition or coincidence I don't care. All I knew was that there was a dragon breaking into my home where my defenseless child lay. I wanted this war to end peacefully but even I was willing to kill to protect my own. There was a dragon rummaging around my home it seemed to have found a way through the large doorway and enter. I knew that I had to get to my child and do whatever it took to save my baby.

I ran up the hill and burst through the door swearing in my mind that if I lost my child tonight it would break me. It was a hard birth. The healers of the village feared I or the baby may not make it through the winter. But against the odds we did. My babe was so small, smaller than any I had ever seen. What exemplified how tiny my baby was, was the scene that lay before me. A massive dragon with four large wings was standing over the rocking cradle one of the carpenters of the village had made.

The dragon was looking down curiously at my small babe, eyes large and docile. This was it this was the proof. Dragons were not unthinking beasts. The Storm Cutter was poking cautiously at my precious, wary of its sharp wing talon. For all the caution however, the beast slipped scratching and causing a horizontal cut across the left side of my babe's jaw. It was insignificant but it still caused my babe to wail.

The Storm Cutter unbalance caused it to see me. I was still wary but hopeful that this dragon and possibly others would be able to leave peacefully. The Storm Cutter stared at me with the same docile eyes as he did to my babe. Probably picking up the same scent that was on my child. As he focused on me the pupils dilated even further something most Vikings don't see since an angry dragon pupils shrink to long terrifying slits.

The dragon and I stared at each other bewitched by each other's existence. A dragon that didn't kill Vikings and a Viking that didn't kill dragons. It was an amazing experience that felt like it could be experienced for a lifetime and never get old. It was the same feeling I had when I was with my eternal love. It was only than that the enchantment was shattered.

An axe came hurdling into my home separating myself from the dragon with more of a purpose to make room than maim the dragon. The dragon shuffled back in surprise.

"Val run!" Stoic ordered.

In fury the dragon unleashed a torrent of fire separating it and me from my husband who had hurled the axe.

"No! Don't!" I begged.

Stoic meanwhile vaulted over the flames to reach our babe. The dragon advanced on me with an intent that I couldn't tell was going to be good or be bad. Stoic had retrieved our babe and was turning around just as the dragon had captured me in its talons. It was gentle but firm. There was no chance of escape that didn't include falling to my demise. I was lost. I will probably never see my husband again or see my daughter grow up. I have lost everything I had wanted to protect.

AN: Okay as some of you may know I am writing this fic mostly to balance out my mind from writing my blood bending fic for avatar. So thank you to those readers specifically for following more of my work . This fic as you can probably tell will eventually include HTTYD2 but that wont be for a long while trust me. I am going to do something different with the whole Female!hiccup thing. First off I won't just jump right into the first movie in the next chapter. We are going to see how a female hiccup or Hica will develop through life. Although honestly I am not completely set on the name Hica… if you got any suggestion feel free to post a review on such matters: P. Also this isn't just exploring what a female hiccup has to go through but also something else… I think I will leave it as a surprise and the surprise is a long ways away. ONLY hiccup is gender bent everyone else is their respective genders. This may… scare some of you off but I think it will be worth your while if you stick around to see what I do with this. I LOVE ROMANCE. I can't tell you how many fics I have read where romantic interactions was the reason why I read the story. But… I think I am terrible at writing the stuff so this will mostly be adventure and family. Key word is mostly. Over the next several very long chapters I will be putting Berk, Female!hiccup, and stoic through some events that will develop their characters and environment towards very different circumstances. Female hiccup will develop sometimes the same and sometimes differently from canon hiccup kay. And these events as well as hiccup being a girl will cause this.

Okay I think that's about everything I have to say I will just end this with some elements that will be employed.

But feel free to ask a question in a review if it doesn't conflict with the suprise i may be able to answer it :)

First Valka name is Valhallarama because it is so BA not really a plot element just my preference.

Second hiccup will leave berk with the whole abandon the village shtick because she won't or can't kill a overgrown lizard that happens to breathe fire.

Third some book elements will be used in the fic( no dragons won't talk sorry)

Fourth but more tentative than anything, hiccup will have a pet dog cause dogs are also BA.

There are other elements that I will employ but will ruin the surprise and trust me it is a doozy and one I have never seen initiated in this fandom.

So thank you for reading this ridiculously long AN please review favorite or follow if you are so inclined :P


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter two**

…

**The Chief of Berk**

…

…

It was the early morning on Berk. The sun was just barely over the horizon. The Hairy Hooligans had been awake for several hours already due to the Dragon raid that occurred late last night. The after effects of which were still present. The smell of charred wood and spilled blood made the air reek of rust and smoke. Billowing towers of gray smoke wafted into the air where fire smoldered under ash and wood.

The raid had been repelled quite well. The food stores were mostly unscathed and standing and only a few homes needed extensive repair. The demons had managed to make off with a few chickens and a sheep but that was all that been reported in the initial report from the villagers. Stoic wasn't really listening though. He was in an unseeing daze. He had th-his daughter in the crook of his arm as villagers gave him damage reports, and reported who was and who wasn't injured.

Stoick was stoic… at least on the outside. His mind was a typhoon of chaotic feelings. He wanted to be angry and kill a few more dragons but especially the damned one that had taken his Val. Val…she was so beautiful and kind. And if he was perfectly honest her mean left hook made her perfect. She was gone but all he wanted to do was have his arms wrapped around her. Stoic was scared, he didn't know how he was supposed to live in a world without her. He could not even recall what it was like to live before he met her. He doesn't think it was the same as what he was feeling now because that was just too terrible a life.

Soft crying from his arm grabbed his attention. His dear Val had given birth to their small babe several months ago. The babe had the same green eyes as himself but he could already see Val's own features appearing behind the layers baby fat. The short soft auburn hair was probably his but Hicca was so small…

And the world was so big. And the dangers were all around. Hicca was all he had left of Val and his memories with her. Hicca will never get to experience anything like that with her mother.

Stoic soothed Hicca, she was probably cranky from being awake for so long. He would need to put her down soon for a nap. It was then that Stoick's best friend, partner treasure hunter and the village black smith approached.

Gobber had a jovial smile with his false metal tooth poking out from his lips. He approached with a swinging gait due to his primitive leg prosthesis. Gobber was and is one of the most skilled warriors of the tribe and losing an arm or leg didn't slow him down in a fight and was a skilled black smith to boot. He made his very own arm prosthetics of which he had many.

"Oi, Stoick!" Gobber the belch greeted," Quite the raid 'e 'ad las' nigh. Eh?" He took a moment to scan the scene around him. The village was in a state of slight disarray but nothing a bit of hard work wouldn't fix. Hairy Hooligans easily bounced back from such simple setbacks.

"Aye…" Stoick agreed but more in the opposite direction of Gobber's assessment." One of the worst we have had in a long while." Only through sheer force of will and habit did Stoick's words seem to come out matter of fact and completely disjointed from the events. He owned his name like no other Viking could ever.

But friendships are a strange thing. A bond between two people like the one between Stoick and Gobber was one of the strongest. They had fought side by side for years. They knew each other strengths which were many and each other's weakness which were few. They tore through herds of dragons with ease together. They crushed invading peoples with ruthless abandon. They knew each other very well and a friendship built on hard times and the need to survive was indomitable. Gobbber was one of the few who could sometimes see past the massive man who could command the very nature of the sea and mountains to his will. And right now Gobber saw a broken man detached from reality begging for what had happened to have not have happen.

"Stoick?" Gobber asked warily," Wha' happened?" For a moment a sliver of unfeeling granite of which Stocik's face was sculpted cracked. A tiny amount of moisture appeared at the corner of his left eye but in a second it seemed as if the water had retreated back inside. There was a long silence between the two men and Hicca continued to whine pitifully in discomfort. Stoick turned away from Gobber trying to Soothe Hicca.

The small cut horizontal cut along the left side of her chin was already black from exposure sealing the wound. Stoick thought it would probably scar. Her skin was so young and soft it was not ready to loose blood so early. Stoick never wanted Hicca to bleed.

Stoick sighed heavily from the strain of his world. He looked back at Gobber over his shoulder to see Gobber's face riddled with concern for his chief and friend. Gobber was just about to ask again when Stoick responded.

"Valhal- Val is…" Stoick took a breath and continued," Val is gone."

It took a moment for Gobber to process what Stoick had said. So Stoick stared forward resolutely into the distance away from Gobber while soothing Hicca.

"No. Not Valhallrama. You must be mistaken Stoick. Ave ye checked the healers hut? Maybe she is helping the Hofferson family down the lane." Gobber continued trying to find a valid explanation for Val's absence until Stoick raised his right arm with his palm open. Gobber stopped talking.

"We're Vikings. It's an occupational hazard." Stoick hated saying those words. Being a Viking didn't mean you get crippled by dragons, or killed, or even having the love of your life kidnapped. But it did happen but it was because of those accursed demons. The monsters and that was what they were. With their evil reptilian eyes, venomous saliva and the fire brought from Hel itself.

Stoick face morphed into a frightening sneer that seemed to radiate danger even through his thick facial hair. A Viking a stone's throw away actually flinched from the display. Stoick the Vast was not a man but a force of nature no mortal could contain. Stoick turned around and took several steps forward. Gobber stepped out of the way in reflex. Gobber felt like a bear had just passed him by and only through Stoick's whims that he wasn't a bloodied mess dead on the ground.

"Stock! Where are you goin?" Gobber called after him," What are yeh doin?"

Without breaking stride Stoick said," I am going to put Hicca down for a nap. Maybe with the Hoffersn family. They had a child recently." With a grunt Stoick continued forward towards the Hoffersn home while looking to the northwest, towards the demon's home." And then I am going to end this war."

Stoick approached Gunmar and Ingrid Hofferson who were in front of their home. They were removing debris around their home. Stoick could see a bundle strapped to Ingrid's back. A small head was poking out looking curiously at her surroundings. Astrid Hofferson, the youngest member of the clan. She had been born a few weeks prior to Hicca. When Stoick had given that girl her name he knew she didn't need one that could scare away gnomes and other things. This girl was going to be strong she didn't need a scary name to hide behind.

The Hofferson family was whole and unbroken something Stoick hadn't felt for a few hours and he already missed it dearly. He hoped Astrid for all her potential would never feel the loss of her own kin.

He approached Ingrid already proffering Hicca to her. Ingrid took Hicca into her arms automatically. It was something she had done the very same with Astrid towards Val. They had been dear friends in their youth and bonded over their pregnancy together.

"She is a little cranky I think she needs a nap." Stoick informed and began walking away before the Hoffersons could ask what was going on. Hicca quieted down curious at the change of arms that were cradling her. Astrid peeked out over her mother shoulder and looked down at the baby. The two babes giggled in mirth at each other loving each other's company.

It was much later in the day when the news finally reached the Hofferson home. Hicca and Astrid had shared a cradle for their nap and were now playing on a fur rug in front of the fire place. Ingrid wept when she heard the news of her friend's demise. She held her child and Hicca close to her as she cried. Hicca patted at Ingrid's face where tears rolled down her cheeks. Gunmar knelt at her side. holding his wife by the side consoling her.

* * *

Meanwhile in the mead hall there was meeting being held. The Vikings stood around a large round table discussing the issue of the dragon raids.

"This bloody conflict has gone on long enough!"

"We need a solution to these menace!"

"There has to be something we can do!"

Similar things were said all around the table. The noise reverberated through the Hall. Stoick stood at the head of the table. Now strictly speaking there is no head of a round table but this didn't stop someone from seeing it. Stoick stood quietly listening to his people shout and bicker amongst each other not achieving much of anything. Stoick took a slow steady breath of air and shouted.

"QUIET!" one word. That was all it took to silence the room. Just one of the tremendous feats Stoick the Vast had collected. All the attention was on him now.

"We are Vikings! We stand here as warriors through and through. We know nothing as well as a battle field. Spilling blood is a task we know well and for the last three hundred long years. Dragons have tasted our steel. They are monsters, they are cruel, but they are also stupid. A sane creature would have left the first chance it got after meeting us on the battle field!" Stoick boasted" But these beasts aren't sane. They continue to come and we slaughter them!" Stoick took a quieter tone," but we are not gods. We are only the children of men and we grow tired of this fight. One of these days our people will be wiped out. It will not happen tomorrow or even next year or even by the end of my life time! IT is however inevitable. With or without the support of the other tribes we will end this war! We will find the nest and we will break it!" Stoick let a quiet moment to pass as he looked at each of the heads of families in the hall. He took another steady breath in and shouted," ARE YOU WITH ME!"

A roar of erupted from the men spilling out of the mead hall. Vikings in the village stopped their work to look towards the mountain shelter. They knew something had changed.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chaper three**

**…**

**…**

**Where Is My Mommy?**

**…**

Life continued on Berk, but for many people it felt like there was something missing. For people like Ingrid Hofferson, Gobber the Belch and Stoick the Vast. It has been two whole years since that tragic day a dragon snatched up Valhallarama. The person known to these people as a friend and as a wife. And for one poor soul a mother.

Hicca was a happy baby as far as anyone could tell. She smiled and cooed at the world around her completely unaware of what her life was surely lacking. Val was and would have been a terrific mother to Hicca but alas such realities will be left unexplored.

Ingrid and Gunmar Hofferson took it upon themselves to raise Hicca in Stoick's stead. With his new aggressive-more aggressive- stance on dragons and running Berk was becoming more tedious than before and he didn't always have the time to take care of Hicca's daily needs throughout the day. He did however always prepare her first meal of the day told her he loved her before handing her off to Ingrid and for him to continue on to his duties as chief. He would return sometime later in the day, the time of day varied from day-to-day but he always did pick her up. He would take her from Ingrid and if she was awake he would ask her how her day went no matter how stressful his own was. Hicca generally only made happy cooing sounds at the chief but that seemed to be all it took to take some tension from the chief's body. He would than proceed to put her to bed and tell her he loved her before retiring to his own bed. Only to repeat the routine all over again.

Hicca and Astrid's relationship continued to grow over their days as toddlers. They would often share a crib hugging one another close in their sleep. They played together constantly which was just them sitting across from each other and laughing for no apparent reason. Babies are weird like that I suppose.

It was however not a perfect system…

Hicca surprisingly began taking her first steps before Astrid. Stoick didn't get to witness this milestone. And when Astrid saw Hicca moving around like an adult Astrid wasn't far behind. Ingrid was as to be expected of a loving mother ecstatic at their development. It didn't last long though. Hicca started grabbing everything she could get her hands on and oddly presented everything she nabbed to Astrid. The floor was getting more and more dangerous to traverse. Gunmar was worried that the two children's death trap was going to be the death of him and not one of the bloody beasts. There was significantly less glory to die falling in your own home than defending your village.

Astrid and Hicca also spoke there first words on the same day. Ingrid had just finished putting away some of the miscellaneous objects Hicca had found away when she turned to address Hicca," Hicca. Stop taking these things from their places and giving them to Astrid."

Hicca had been playing with lochs of Astrids hair but when Ingrid had said her name Hicca turned to her.

Ingrid than continued to speak addressing Astrid," And you Astrid stop encouraging her by pointing at everything."

Hicca seemed to have come to a realization at that point. Hicca's brow furrowed in concentration before pointing at Astrid and half gurgle said," Strid?"

Ingrid was happy at the sudden word and seemed to forget that she was trying to discipline the two girls.

"Yes! That's Astrid and you are Hicca." She said with a smile. Ingrid picked up Astrid and cooed at her happily," You hear that Astrid? Hicca's first word was your name." Ingrid chose to ignore that Hicca was one letter off.

Hicca bounced up and down on the floor smiling at Ingrid and Astrid. Hicca continued to point happily at Astrid while saying 'strid' over and over again. Ingrid continued to coach the girl until she finally added the 'a' in the name.

It was several hours later when Astrid began making her way through the milestone. Astrid was sitting at one end of the room admiring a carved Deadly Nadder figurine on a table. Hicca was on the other side of the room facing away from Astrid and was currently fascinated by her toes. Astrid stood up to reach for the object but was just a little bit out of reach. Astrid turned looking at Hicca while pointing at the figurine as she often did. Hicca didn't see her. In the adjacent room Astrid could hear her mother speaking to her father. Astrid really wanted to have the figurine but she didn't want to go all the way across the room to get Hicca's help.

Astrid opened her mouth several time trying to understand how the strange body parts worked together. It took her quite a while to get a sound out and she probably could have gotten the Nadder if she just went to Hicca in the first place but she was persistent. And her persistence paid off.

"Hic-hic-Hicca." Astrid said with some difficulty. Hicca on the other side of the room heard her voice and turned. Astrid said the name again. Hicca smiled and waddled over putting off her exploration of her toes for now. She would be back again studying the small strange digits or was it pedgits?

Astrid again pointed at the carving. Hicca saw the gesture and understood what Astrid wanted. Hicca stood on the tip of her toes to reach for the carving. Hicca grabbed the tail of the Nadder pulling it closer to get a grip on the legs of avian like carved dragon and presented it to Astrid who began studying the shape of the creature from every angle.

Stoick never got to see these milestones.

Whenever something like this was told to Stoick he would always get a confused face. He didn't know if he should be happy or sad at her growing up. On the one hand she was progressing quickly through the milestones of walking, speaking and even eating by herself but on the other hand he didn't get to be there to see it. He supposed it could be worse though. That night over a year ago could have robbed him of everything he held dear. Stoick didn't think he would have been strong enough to live if he lost both of his girls.

The girls continued to progress through their development. They began picking up more and more words. They got bigger, faster, and even more difficult to take care of. They reached for more things to occupy their time and talked constantly. Some times to each other, to Ingrid, to themselves, and Hicca was quite fond of talking to inanimate objects. The one thing Hicca used her ability to talk the most for was asking questions. Every question was asked that passed through her head. Why do we eat? Why do we wear clothes? Many of these questions were fairly easy to answer in Ingrid's opinion but there was one that gave her significant pause before she had to just say I don't know. Why do we poop? Seriously? Why?

"I would keep that question to yourself if I were you Hicca. People don't… talk about poop." Ingrid informed carefully. Hicca seemed to have accepted that. She didn't particularly like poop herself so talking about it was probably not fun either.

Hicca continued talking and asking plenty of question over the year. She and Astrid were now three years old. Hicca continued to be babysat by Ingrid because the dragon war was still going strong and left Stoick mostly indisposed. It was at this time that Hicca noticed the difference between her family and Astrid's family. She counted the people in the house and knew that Astrid and she were children and Stoick and Gunmar were daddies. And Ingrid was a mommy to Astrid. So, the question was. Who was Hicca's mother?

Stoick had just come to pick up Hicca from the Hofferson home that day. He managed to get through all his duties early because there were so few at the moment, but he knew he would be up to his eye brows in tasks before the week was done because winter was fast approaching.

Hicca had just taken her spot next to Stoick holding his massive or more precisely just one of the massive chieftain's pinkies. When she asked a question that made Ingrid flinch visibly. Stoick mouth opened agape at the inquiry. Astrid who was also at her mother's side just looked confused.

"Can I have a mommy?" Hicca spoke with such innocence that you would think she was asking for a new doll down at the market.

Ingrid looked at Stoick apologetically. She knew something like this would come up eventually. She felt really bad about Stoick having to go through something as difficult as that but some part of her mind she was grateful she wouldn't have to do it herself.

Stoick nodded sadly at Ingrid. He looked down at his daughter who was still holding onto his pinkie quietly waiting for a response.

"We can talk about this at home Hicca." Stoick finally said.

"Okay!" Hicca said happily, this was how her daddy usually behaved when she asked him for something. Although the time she asked for a pet Terrible Terror didn't go particularly well.

The pair began making their way home. Hicca walked alongside her father waving at all the Vikings who smiled at her as they passed. Stoick on the other hand seemed to have lost all hearing because he didn't respond in kind to any of his villager's own greetings.

They eventually reached their home and went inside. Stoick pointed at a chair near the hearth for Hicca to sit in while he got the fire going again. The home was completely empty the entire day so there was no need to maintain the fire except for the nights. It took but a moment for the fire to cast it's orange hued glow around the room. Stoick took a seat on his large and sturdy chair. He poked at the embers coaxing more light and flame from the wood.

He sighed heavily.

Hicca continued to wait patiently.

"Hicca, you want a? a mommy?" Stoick asked using the same word as she did.

"Yup! Where do mommies come from anyway? Can you get me one?" She asked looking up curious at the roof of her home as if it held the answer to her question.

"Mommies don't come from anywhere and I can't just get you one." Stoick answered.

Hicca paused in confusion," Oh. Then how does Astrid have Ingrid as a mommy?"

"Astrid didn't 'get' Ingrid. Ingrid and Gunmar got Astrid. Just like I got you." Stoick informed sadly. He left out Val's name again as if she wasn't a part of this. Stoick knew Hicca was going to connect the dots though. She was going to get the truth out of him any second now.

Hicca stared at her father. She knew he was leaving something out. He had done it before many times. When it was really dark he would sometimes come rushing up to her room taking her, her blankets and anything else near her and run out of the house. He would run across town and deposited her to Astrid and Ingrid. He would always leave with the same statement." Hicca. I have to go take care of of some chief duties right now so stay here with the Hoffersons for the rest of the night." He would begin leaving and turn around to say" Stay put…there…safe." And then he would finally leave to do his 'chiefly duties'. It didn't take long for her to get what he was really doing out of him on those nights.

"Gunmar and Ingrid got Astrid? A daddy and a mommy get a daughter?" Hicca said for clarification.

"or a son." Stoick corrected.

"So where is your Ingrid? My mommy?" Hicca finally asked.

"Your mommy is gone. My Ingrid's actual name was V-Valhallarama." Stoick wheezed out the last word. Stoick had completely avoid saying that name since Hicca began to talk. He didn't want this conversation to happen ever.

"Where is she?"

"Knowing her?" He asked with a chuckle." She probably beat the gates down to Valhalla just so she can challenge Odin and Thor to an arm wrestling match… at the same time!" Stoick's boasting of his late wife made him feel a little bit better but he could see the final dots connecting in Hicca's head on her face. Her mother was dead," she certainly had the name for it."

"Valhalla? Where great warriors go when they die?"

Stoick answered hesitantly," Yes."

Hicca chose to avoid asking if her mother was dead." So I can't have a mommy?"

"No. You can't. I couldn't bear to court another women." Stoick said sadly, he was still very much in love and it felt like it would take an eternity before his feelings could be extinguished. "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry daddy? Even though you look sadder than I have ever seen you?" Hicca asked sympathetically. Stoick the Vast didn't look so Vast at the moment. He looked small and weak. He didn't have the imposing aura he seemed to exude in excess in the few times Hicca saw him in the streets from one of the windows at the Hofferson's.

Stoick took a moment to examine his daughter. She looked disappointed but not sad that she didn't have a mother, but this observation seemed to hurt himself even more than seeing her in tears. She had burst into tears over a skinned knee when he came to pick her up. Stoick knew that if Hicca spent even a little bit of time with Val as mother and daughter she would know she was missing something special and in time she would probably realize this from other people's interactions.

"I loved your mommy very much Hicca." Stoick explained.

"It hurts? Doesn't it? To lose something, someone you love very much?" Hicca asked despairingly.

Stoick nodded weakly," No pain imagined rivals what I feel and I pray to the gods in Asgard such pain will never befall you Hicca."

Hicca nodded sadly. She was terrified at what loss would do to her. If losing a wife hurt her daddy as much as it did. She thought the pain would probably kill her.

Stoick stoked the embers again. The discussion while seemingly short was actually very long. The two hadn't noticed each other's long pauses in thought as they each grappled with their conscience. The room had darkened significantly and the evening was upon them already. Everyone was in their homes already. Preparing to get to bed and awake refreshed tomorrow for another day of work. The flames grew again bringing back the warm glow that had vanished from the walls of the home. Stoick took a cursory look out a small window seeing thick darkness.

"it is late Hicca you should get to bed." Stoick said leaning back into his chair with a little less tension.

"Okay daddy…Are you going to be okay?"

"I will, go to sleep. You don't want to be too tired to play with Astrid. Do you?"

Hicca nodded more to do something in a response than in acknowledgement of Stoick's question.

Hicca climbed up the stairs to her loft on her hands and feet. When she reached the top she looked back down at her father. His chair was facing away from her and towards the fire. She couldn't see his face but she could practically feel the sadness radiating off his body. She frowned hoping he would get better. She sat there for a while hoping to see some sort of change but nothing happened for a long time.

She could barely hear him. The quiet words were an odd sound coming from her father. Even in sleep he was not quiet. But the sounds were there. Her father was singing softly.

_I'll swim and sail on savage seas_

_with ne'er a fear of drowning._

_And gladly ride the waves of life_

_if you will marry me._

_No scorching sun, nor freezing cold_

_will stop me on my journey_

_If you will promise me your heart._

_And love..._

He stopped. She wanted to hear more of the song but he stopped. She really wanted to go down there and ask him to finish but she decided against it when her father's posture changed. Stoick leaned forward placing his two massive hands against his face. He was still very sad and Hicca pestering him about a song probably wasn't a good idea.

She finished making her way into her room. It was dark and quiet but the hearth downstairs had warmed her loft. She climbed onto her bed and wiggled under her covers. Her mind was abuzz with thoughts and she didn't think she would get a wink of sleep that night and maybe for a few more.

* * *

**AN**

**And there it is another chapter. Hopefully i managed to demonstrate some degree skill in writing the last bits. I don't have much experience with loss honestly. So if anyone has some helpful criticisms please leave your thoughts in a review down below :P**

**Also the chapters should start getting longer now. they will likely triple maybe even quadruple in length and will be spanning anywhere from 3 to four years per chapter. so were looking at( advices awesome color coded outline of awesomeness) five chapters before we get to the movie part :)**

***taps desk ****rhythmically**

**OKayyyy. I guess i don't have anything else to say...Review,fav, follow or if you are feeling especially generous start a religion in my name, that'd be pretty sweet... on second thought don't do that. very bad idea.**


End file.
